Mind is such that it never wants to repeat one mantr constantly. What do I say to people, just to let them have the truth in their minds so they can get relaxed? I say, "You can take any name, any name, any name." Why? If I say to you, "Repeat one mantr," you have no patience. You cannot do it. Even 'one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten ...' You cannot repeat it for half an hour. You cannot. That is the mental pattern.

What do I say whenever I am meditating and thoughts come here, and there ... and there? I say, "Well, look! Thoughts are coming."

But I have the power to continue repeating the mantr, "Amaram hum hum, Madhuram hum hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, ..." Now the thought of my house in Chandigarh comes, but I'll not say, "Chandigarh house, Chandigarh house, Chandigarh house, New Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi emporium, Delhi emporium, Madras, Madras .." I give the suggestion to my mind, "You keep doing anything, but I have the power to say for half an hour "Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum ..."

The attention of the mind may go here and there, but I say, "I have the power to keep the attention on the sound: Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, ..."

If I keep my attention only on the sound, then the meaning is hidden. So I say, "I have the power to keep its meaning in my vision also: Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum ... I am Immortal, I am Blissful, I am Immortal, I am Blissful."

If I keep my attention on the meaning, then the subject is lost. So I say, "I have the power to hold the subject, the seer and the Knower who is saying this, who is attending it, who is knowing its meaning, and who is constantly saying, "I have the power to attend myself."

Question: "Swami-ji, even after I stop consciously repeating the mantr, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, it still runs on. It is like an undercurrent. Thoughts come and thoughts go but mantr is still underneath."

Swami-ji: Perfect. That is what the practice is.

Question: Is it possible to have that running all the time?

Swami-ji: Always, always. I just demonstrated it to you out loud, but it runs in my blood and veins all the time. That is the practice. Outside, anything can happen. Danger may come. Snake may come or a rock may fall or a scorpion may bite. But inside, somebody knows "Amaram hum, Madhuram hum, Amaram hum, Madhuram hum."

- Swami Shyam, 22 August 1983